Got to say that I believe Jess in this row. UCI ranking points also clearly show she's out-performing Reade, James and Marchant, I know James has been injured. This also shows BC had confidence in her, allowing her to race. We also have Nicole Cooke's past comments about sexism.

I initially thought that Jess would maybe have been better to air her grievances in private, rather than make public statements/accusations. With many other people now backing her position in public, and Shane's suspension as an outcome, her choice may have been right all along. Now it seems that this guy is just a jerk, and that getting rid of him is perhaps the best thing that British Cycling could do. In any endeavour a "no assholes" rule is a really good one. Bullies in positions of power convince themselves that their bullying behavior is part of what makes them effective, and therefore justified in carrying on like that, but really, they're just jerks.

Varnish was dropped from the Olympic team last April. She claimed former Technical Director Shane Sutton had told her to "move on and go and have a baby," a claim that Sutton has denied, although an internal investigation by BC upheld allegations of sexism against the Australian.

However, the independent panel found the report was "sanitised" by the board with "harder-hitting investigative findings" by grievance officer, Alex Russell, excluded from the final version.

"The apparently deliberate reversal of the grievance officer’s draft outcome by the British Cycling Board gives every impression of it trying to achieve that aim," says the report. "The actions of the British Cycling Board in that regard are shocking and inexcusable. They also call into serious question whether the composition of the British Cycling Board is fit to govern a national sporting body."

And:

There is further criticism of the board by the review panel the handling of the matter.

"The Panel is also aware that, rather than authorising its appointed grievance officer to come to conclusions following their investigations into the former technical director, the conclusions were to be decided upon by the British Cycling Board collectively," says the draft copy of the review.

The manner in which Varnish was dropped from the programme also came under fire from the panel.

"In the situation involving Jess Varnish, the panel did not find explanations convincing from coaching-staff that she could go from being a border-line Olympian (in fact, potentially an Olympic medallist) to not being good enough… within a week.

"An athlete would have to have been given a warning and also a reasonable period to improve before removal. Varnish was not given a warning or any period of time to improve. She was simply removed."

http://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/39234548"On Thursday British Cycling said it did not pay "sufficient care and attention" to the wellbeing of staff and athletes at the expense of winning medals. This was in response to a leaked draft report of an investigation into alleged failings in its culture.

"I feel vindicated in a way that the truth is coming out but you obviously can't turn back the clock," she said. "All I want is the truth to be out there because it's the truth and that's what people should know.

"I've been pulled from pillar to post. Just to get this stage and see that it's a cover up is huge."

When asked if Sutton should work in cycling coaching again, she said: "From my experiences, no."

An independent investigation into the culture at British Cycling was launched last year and is expected to deliver its findings imminently. It follows an initial internal investigation into Varnish's complaint about Sutton.

Varnish said that any current board members involved in the initial internal report into Sutton's conduct should resign.

"I had absolutely no faith in the investigation from the get go," she said. "Now there needs to be changes. These people can't be still in there if they've reversed facts. They can't still be able to be on that board.

"I think the facts say it for themselves. If they're overturning facts just to protect themselves and to protect the look of British Cycling. It's a lot easier for them to throw me under the bus rather than the whole of British Cycling and for the actual truth to come out."